Jose Miguel Carrera

Jose Miguel Carrera (15 October 1785-4 September 1821) was President of Chile from 16 November 1811 to 2 October 1814, succeeding Juan Enrique Rosales and preceding Bernardo O'Higgins. He, along with his brothers Juan Jose and Luis Carrera, led a powerful clique which

Biography
Jose Miguel Carrera was born to a family of Basque descent in Santiago, Chile on 15 October 1785, the younger brother of Juan Jose and the older brother of Luis Carrera. He befriended Manuel Rodriguez Erdoiza and joined the Spanish Army in Spain in 1808, reaching the rank of Sergeant Major and commander of the Husares de Galicia during the Peninsular War. In 1810, he returned to Chile as agitation for independence grew, and he and his brothers seized control of Chile in an 1811 coup. He established 18 September as national independence day, abolished slavery, rescinded the clergy's right to legal immunity, and founded the Instituto Nacional (the first state-sponsored school in the country). When the Spanish Army and Spanish Navy invaded southern Chile, he became commander-in-chief of the patriotic forces and left the government, and he expelled the Spanish from the city of Concepcion. However, Carrera - who repeatedly seized power in order to remain military dictator - was not recognized as the Chilean leader by Bernardo O'Higgins, who sought to make a stand against the Spanish at Rancagua, while Carrera sought to draw the Spanish into a battle at the Angostura del Paine. O'Higgins' forces were defeated in the Disaster of Rancagua after making the stand in spite of Carrera's orders, forcing O'Higgins to flee to Argentina. Carrera's friend Carlos Maria Alvear became the new leader of Argentina, leaving Carrera in solid control of Chile, but Alvear's overthrow by Jose de San Martin forced Carrera to flee to the United States, fearing for his life. When he arrived in Buenos Aires with four ships, Carrera was imprisoned by San Martin, who, alongside O'Higgins, went on to defeat the Spanish at the 1817 Battle of Chacabuco. Carrera later escaped to Montevideo, where the Brazilian general Carlos Frederico Lecor protected him, but his brothers Juan Jose and Luis were executed in Mendoza while plotting to overthrow O'Higgins. Subsequently, Carrera supported the Federales against the Unitarios of Argentina in the Argentine Civil War, and, after the Federales seized power on 23 February 1820, the Federal government provided Carrera with military aid for an invasion of Argentina. However, he was intercepted and captured near Mendoza and executed on 4 September 1821 following a show trial.